Cartalk.

Taking A Shine To The Sassy Pronto Spyder

While the CCV is meant to be stark, the Spyder is meant to be "elegant and breathtaking and prove that if you design an exciting car, it doesn't matter if it's (molded) plastic or steel," Mack said.

"The CCV is meant to be sparse like a motorcycle, but the Spyder isn't meant to make the same sacrifices. There's a great stereo and watchlike gauges as well as anti-lock brakes and dual air bags. It's meant to be a lower-priced, environmentally friendly car that performs well, that people enjoy and not one that says, `Hey, I'm only made of six pieces, don't look at me,' " Mack said.

Spyder is Mazda Miata size, built on a 95-inch wheelbase and 156 inches long. It is powered by a 2.4-liter, 225-horsepower turbocharged V-6 teamed with a 5-speed manual transmission. No automatic because Chrysler insists it's a driver's machine and automatic doesn't fit the image. And as a driver's machine, it's rear-wheel drive for weight distribution.

Still, Spyder brings up thoughts of the Dodge Copperhead roadster from last year and wonder as to why Copperhead isn't taking center stage again this year.

"Copperhead wouldn't be as affordable," Mack said. (Insiders hinted at a $30,000-plus sticker on a Copperhead, if produced.) "The intent is to make this car more affordable, which is why it's a Plymouth," he added, though you could argue that the Prowler is a Plymouth, too, and it's a $35,000 purple roadster.

The body is low slung as it rests between the huge wheels. Based on the low, ready-to-strike stance, Chrysler was going to call it Gator before deciding to dub it Spyder and retain Pronto for its plastic-body heritage.

Other than the matte finish, there are some tests Spyder must pass to prove worthy of production, such as reliability and durability, not to mention repairability of the plastic.

"It's been undergoing durability shake-testing to simulate travel over rough terrain, and passed so far, and it's passed simulated (computer) crash tests, too, but repair is still a hurdle. Structurally, the plastic is sound, but we have to work on the appearance and making of invisible repairs," Mack said.

While Mack doesn't elaborate on the extent of the repair problem, he hints that color match on body panels needs more work when stating, "Maybe we'll have to come up with bondo (plastic body filler) to match the color of the car."

The fact that Chrysler has been devoting so much attention to injection-molded plastic-body cars, first with the CCV, then Spyder and Intrepid ESX2, which we'll discuss later, strongly indicates the automaker has set its sights on producing such a vehicle.

Mack is vague about timetables, but said: "If all the stars line up properly, we could produce the Spyder within three years after we get the green light (from management).

"And this technology doesn't have to be limited to cars. We're probing the entire envelope," he said. "With plastic, you not only help the environment, you have more freedom of design. The only limit is your imagination."